PSCHOLA: Cardano-Powered Education for Middle East and African Students

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Nahom Teshome

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

8

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

We'll build a decentralized platform using Atala PRISM for tutor verification, connecting MEA students with trusted tutors and smart contracts for secure cross-border payments and managing disputes.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

N/A

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

No

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

Answer

Even though the project is not fully open source, Everything related to smart contracts will be publicly available.

The reasons we can't publicly publish the source code of the remaining tech stack is for the following reason

Competitive Advantage:

Pschola is a competitive product that relies in selling services, which require the safe keeping of its various algorithms to maintain its competitive advantage, Open Sourcing Pschola would let our competitors absorb our feature set and our future customers.

[METADATA] Horizons

Education

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Proposed Solution:

We will create a platform utilizing Cardano smart contracts to manage payments and escrow services seamlessly. By integrating Atala PRISM for verifiable data and digital identity, we will streamline the process of finding and securing qualified tutors, ensuring reliability and ease of cross-border transactions.

Problem Perception:

The challenge lies in the difficulty of accessing quality education and services across borders. Currently, individuals must navigate through unreliable information, currency exchange complications, and payment transfer issues when seeking tutors from different countries.

Approach Justification:

Integrating Atala PRISM leverages an existing, trusted platform already in use in countries like Ethiopia, ensuring reliable verification of tutor credentials. Using Cardano for payments and escrow services addresses the complexities of cross-border transactions, offering a seamless financial experience.

Reasons for Approach:

We chose Cardano smart contracts and Atala PRISM due to their robust security features and capacity for managing digital identities and verifiable data. This approach directly addresses the issues of unreliable tutor information, payment complexities, and dispute resolution.

Project Engagement:

Our project will engage students and educators across Africa and the Middle East, focusing on those lacking access to qualified tutors in their native languages. We aim to connect these students with unemployed qualified individuals who can meet this demand.

Demonstrating Impact:

We will measure our impact by tracking the number of successful tutor-student engagements, user satisfaction rates, and the volume of cross-border transactions facilitated without dispute.

Unique Solution:

Our platform is unique in its integration of Cardano smart contracts for automated, secure payments and Atala PRISM for ensuring the credibility of tutors through verifiable data. This solution is vital for Cardano as it showcases the blockchain’s ability to solve real-world problems, enhancing accessibility and trust in global education services.

Beneficiaries:

Students seeking quality education across borders and qualified tutors looking for employment opportunities will benefit greatly. This is crucial for Cardano, demonstrating the blockchain's potential to foster global educational equity and financial inclusion.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

Pschola will have a significant positive impact on the cardano community for the following reasons

• Pschola will on board users to the Cardano community who would otherwise be very hesitant to join the community, by providing Teachers across the supported countries with means of accepting payment for their tutoring services, Pschola guarantees that the individuals onboarded have a legitimate reason to continue using the cardano network.
• Making The World Work Better For All is the primary motto behind the cardano community, and it is with that in mind that Pschola connects individuals from across the continent to right next door by providing infrastructure that bridges gaps across borders, languages and red tape. 
• Pschola will disprove the commonly held misconception that everything in crypto is either a scam or a gimmick, Pschola will provide real employment and access to educational services for speakers of many languages.
• Pschola will prove that payments made through Cardano are many orders safer than fiat payments by implementing an escrow service that ensures fairness.
• Pschola will provide On-ramps and Off-ramps services for individuals that are not able to get access to Ada in their local currency.
• By integrating Atala into our ecosystem, Pschola will both expand the user base of a product by the cardano foundation as well as provide credential verification for Teachers whose qualification might have been in question if not for Atala.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Experienced Development Team:

Our team, creators of the Pschola app, combines expertise in blockchain technology, educational platforms, web development, marketing, project planning and digital identity solutions. This unique blend of skills equips us to deliver the project with high levels of trust and accountability, ensuring a robust and secure implementation.

Track Record

We have successfully executed projects that built vibrant communities and achieved significant user engagement,from Dapp To mobile apps, Web developments, Smart contract Developments, consultation demonstrating our ability to create impactful and innovative solutions. Have reached over 300 Tutors on our newly launched Pschola app.

We believe we are best suited to deliver this project due to our proven track record in developing and managing a robust educational platform, Pschola, which includes two main applications: Pschola Student and Pschola Teacher.

Pschola Student

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pschola/id6471903211

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pschola.student&hl=en&gl=US

Pschola Tutor

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pschola-teacher/id6471899885

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pschola.teacher&hl=en&gl=US

Scalability: Pschola is designed to support over 10,000 live users, demonstrating our capability to handle large-scale operations.

Zoom Integration: Although we currently delegate live video sessions to Zoom, our seamless integration ensures reliable and efficient online session delivery.

Demonstrated Success and Regional Focus

Our platform’s extensive feature set, combined with our scalable infrastructure and regional adaptation, underscores our ability to deliver a high-impact educational solution. Our commitment to quality and innovation is reflected in our advanced search capabilities, flexible scheduling, comprehensive session management, and robust communication tools, which together create a seamless and effective learning environment.

Marketing Links

Pschola Student

Pschola Teacher

Conclusion

Our track record in developing and managing Pschola, with its diverse functionalities and scalable infrastructure, positions us as the ideal candidate to deliver this project. Our focus on regional adaptation and quality further strengthens our capability to meet and exceed the project’s objectives.

Security and Compliance:

We adhere to global data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR), ensuring the security and privacy of user data.

Smart Contract Audits: We conduct thorough audits of our smart contracts to ensure their security and reliability, minimizing the risk of vulnerabilities.

To validate the feasibility of our approach, we will undertake the following steps:

Prototype Development: We will develop a prototype to test the integration of Atala PRISM for credential verification and Cardano for payment and escrow services, allowing us to gather early feedback and refine our solution.

Beta Testing: Engaging a select group of students and tutors, we will conduct beta testing to ensure the platform is user-friendly, secure, and meets the community’s needs.

Continuous Monitoring and Iteration: Post-launch, we will continuously monitor system performance, utilizing data analytics to track user engagement, transaction efficiency, and dispute resolution effectiveness, enabling rapid identification and resolution of any issues.

Trust and Accountability in Managing Funds:

Transparent Budgeting: We will share all budgeting details with the community through regular updates, providing clear breakdowns of fund allocation and expenditure.

Regular Reporting: We commit to regular progress reports, including financial accounting, which will be with the broader Cardano community through our project’s website and Cardano forums.

By implementing these measures, we aim to establish a high level of trust and accountability, ensuring that we manage both the project and its funds with integrity and in alignment with our community’s expectations. Our unique blend of skills and strategic approach will drive the success of Pschola, benefiting students and tutors globally, and reinforcing Cardano’s role in enhancing global education and financial accessibility.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestone 1:

Project planning & System Architecture Design

A: Milestone outputs

• Define technical project requirements for apps smart contract adjacent features
• Define technical project requirement for the backend smart contract adjacent features
• Define technical project requirements for smart contracts
• Design apps-smart contract interaction schema
• Build architecture for smart contracts
• Define changes needed to be made to the both apps for smart contact integration
• Design UI to accommodate required changes to both apps.
• Define smart contract test case requirement outlines.

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Complete software development specification
• UI Wireframe/Design
• Test Case specification document

C. Evidence of milestone completion

• SRS document/ UI Wireframe and Test case specification document will be submitted

Smart Contract Development

A: Milestone outputs

Test driven development 

• Write test cases that all smart contracts have to pass.
• Write tests for all Contract adjacent features on the mobile apps.

Smart Contract Development

• Implement smart contracts as per the project specification
• Ensure that smart contracts pass tests in development 

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Smart contracts must pass all defined test cases
• Smart contracts must match all feature specifications of the SRS document

C. Evidence of milestone completion

• Published results of all tests as well as a streamlined process to conduct the test cases independently
• All smart contracts will be publicly accessible, along with documentation matching the software requirement specification
• All smart contracts will be audited.

System Integration And Beta Testing

A: Milestone outputs

Backend Development

• Implement all smart contract adjacent rest api calls as well as migration of preexisting data to accommodate new features

Mobile App Development

• Translate UI Wireframes to the apps
• Integrate built smart contracts into the applications
• Write contract adjacent integration tests for both applications.

Smart Contract Development

• Ensure both apps pass all contract adjacent tests.

Community Engagements

• Engage with our users for beta testing

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Both Apps must pass all test cases
• Accept user feedback from the community regarding acceptability of implemented UI and additional features

C. Evidence of milestone completion

• Publicly available beta testing builds for both applications showcasing built features along with a document explaining how built features are per requirement specification.
• Release Videos explaining all newly built features.

Project Atala Integration

A: Milestone outputs

• Build onboarding platform to integrate to Atala
• Build verification portals to Atala through the Mobile apps
• Integrate Atala Identity to Applications

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Tutors should be able to enroll to Atala and have their identifies accepted into Pschola
• Students should be able to verify the identities of individuals who have attached their Atala identity with their credentials

C. Evidence of milestone completion

• Release public beta builds for both applications showcasing Atala integrations
• Release Videos explaining how to integrate Atala identity into Pschola and integrated Atala identities.

Marketing Campaign To Onboard New Users

A. Milestone outputs

• Produce Promotional content to advertise services provided by Pschola
• Produce how to guides to onboard both teachers and students.
• Collaborate with Legitimate Educational institutes to onboard new tutors
• Produce short form content tiktok/reels to onboard Students/Parents to the apps.
• Offer onramp services to individuals unable to obtain ADA

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Add new teachers onto Pschola
• Engage with an audience through social media.

C. Evidence of milestone completion

• Produce report outlining newly generated user count as well as Legitimate participation with the Cardano Ecosystem.
• Produced marketing contents

A. Milestone outputs

• Prepare a final report outlining development, project goals, and delivered results.
• Build a comprehensive summary of features and functionalities delivered, including available user statistics.

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Create a video presentation of the project's aims, delivered functionality , impact of the program and outcome to the Cardano community.
• Availability on App Stores:
• iOS App Store: Both Pschola Student and Pschola Teacher applications must be publicly available and downloadable.
• Android Play Store: Both Pschola Student and Pschola Teacher applications must be publicly available and downloadable.

C. Evidence of milestone completion

• All delivered outputs will be archived and accessible to the public.
• Submit all reports, Videos and application builds to the Catalyst Community.

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

1: Sibhat Teshome - Product Manager and Mobile and Web Developer, Atala Integration

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sibhat-teshome-9a972b221/

Github: https://github.com/XERZES27 

Role:

Responsible for product development, mobile and web development, Atala Integration

2: Nahom Teshome - =Mobile and Web Developer

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nahom-abera-a4a086329?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

Github: https://github.com/Nahom-Teshome

Role: Responsible for Flutter Development

3: Mikiyas Alemayehu: Backend developer

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikyas-alemayehu/

Github: https://github.com/mikyas1/

Role:

Responsible for backend development

4.Henok Edmealem : UI/UX Developer

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henok-edmealem-21a976197/

Portfolio: Portfolio

Role:

Responsible for UI/UX

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Milestone 1: Project Planning & System Architecture Design

Cost: 18,000 ADA (1 month)

• Technical Consulting & Planning: 4,500 ADA
• UI/UX Design: 2,500 ADA
• System Architecture Design: 7,000 ADA
• SRS Document Production: 4,000 ADA

Total: 18,000 ADA

Milestone 2: Blockchain Development

Cost: 28,000 ADA (5 Weeks)

• Blockchain Developer Cost: 13,000 ADA
• Smart Contract Audit: 15,000 ADA

Total: 28,000 ADA

Milestone 3: System Integration and Beta Testing

Cost: 25,000 ADA (3 months)

• Mobile Application Development: 15,000 ADA
• Integration Testing: 5,000 ADA
• Backend Development: 3,000 ADA
• Video Production: 2,000 ADA

Total: 25,000 ADA

Milestone 4: Project Atala Integration

Cost: 8,000 ADA (1 month)

• Onboarding Platform Development: 4,000 ADA
• Verification Portal Development: 2,000 ADA
• Atala Integration Services: 1,000 ADA
• Documentation, Tutorials, and Video Production: 1,000 ADA

Total: 8,000 ADA

Milestone 5: Marketing Campaign to Onboard New Users

Cost: 12,000 ADA (1 month)

• Promotional Content Production and Tutorial Production: 4,000 ADA
• Develop OnRamp Services: 3,000 ADA
• Marketing Budget: 5,000 ADA

Total: 12,000 ADA

Final Milestone: Project Completion and Reporting

Cost: 5,000 ADA (3 weeks)

• Video Production: 3,000 ADA
• Final Report Production: 2,000 ADA

Total: 5,000 ADA

GRAND TOTAL: 96000 ADA

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

Cost Justification:

Industry Standards: Our budget is based on current industry standards for blockchain development, smart contract auditing, and educational technology integration. We have benchmarked our costs against typical freelance rates and average wages in the technology sector, ensuring competitive and fair pricing.

Experienced Professionals: We employ highly skilled professionals whose rates reflect their expertise and the quality of work required for successful project delivery. Thi ensures that the project benefits from top-tier talent, enhancing the overall value and impact.

Breakdown of Value:

Enhanced Ecosystem Utilization: The integration of Cardano’s blockchain and Atala PRISM into Pschola promotes broader use of Cardano’s technology, driving adoption and showcasing its practical applications in education and finance.

Scalability and Replicability: The scalable design of the project allows for easy replication across various educational platforms, amplifying Cardano’s presence in global education and maximizing return on investment.

Community Engagement: By addressing real-world problems, Pschola engages a diverse global user base, fostering a vibrant community around Cardano’s ecosystem and attracting new users and developers.

Innovation Showcase: Demonstrating Cardano’s capabilities in solving cross-border payment and identity verification issues positions Cardano as a leader in blockchain innovation, enhancing its reputation and marketability.

Educational Advancement: Facilitating access to quality education globally aligns with Cardano’s vision of creating positive social impact, thereby increasing the ecosystem’s overall value proposition.